Politics

Tornek, Robinson head to runoff in Pasadena mayor's race

Pasadena will see its first new mayor in 16 years, but not without a runoff election.

City Council members Terry Tornek and Jacque Robinson came away with 37 percent and 30 percent of the vote, respectively, in Pasadena’s citywide election on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the city clerk’s office. Because neither candidate won an outright majority, the two will advance to the general election on April 21.

Current Mayor Bill Bogaard announced last fall that he would be retiring rather than seek a historic fifth term, according to the Pasadena Star-News. His decision sparked a wide-open contest that drew six candidates.

The candidate who came nearest Robinson in votes was Don Morgan, with 14.4 percent of the vote, followed by Bill Thomson, with 13.1 percent, Allen Shay, with about 4 percent, and Jason Hardin, with less than 1 percent.

The election came at a trying time for the city, according to the Star-News:

"Voting took place against a backdrop of the discovery that $6.4 million had been embezzled from City Hall by a public works employee and the announcement that an Environmental Impact Report favored the extension of the controversial 710 Freeway via tunnel through West Pasadena."